The last time PCC changed its name — from Puget Consumers Co-op to PCC Natural Markets in 1998 — it was because some people didn’t know they could buy food from the co-op, and it came at a time organic and natural foods were still a rarity at most grocery stores.

On Wednesday, PCC changes its name again — to PCC Community Markets. Now even huge, conventional grocers are carrying more and more organics, e-commerce is reshaping the industry, and a host of competitors, including Portland-based New Seasons and the Whole Foods + Amazon behemoth, are all encroaching on PCC’s traditional domain. Add to that the influx of newcomers to the Seattle area who may not even know about PCC.

That prompted the retailer “to look internally and say: What is it that keeps us relevant, makes us unique and special in a grocery industry that’s changing, in a city that’s growing dramatically,” said Cate Hardy, chief executive of PCC Community Markets. “What is PCC’s position and relevance in that market?”